Community snapshots

Joe Pepe, president of the Connecticut Planet Fitness chains, left, shakes hands with Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren ‘Pete’ Hess as the two talk with Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Ron Pugliese, center, during a ribbon cutting ceremony March 16 to celebrate the grand opening of the new Planet Fitness on New Haven Road. Planet Fitness, which has been operating in Naugatuck since 2005, built a new facility on property behind its former gym. –LUKE MARSHALL

Boy Scout Evan Vaz, of Naugatuck Troop 109, earned his Eagle Scout badge Jan. 29 during a Court of Honor at the Waterbury Elks Lodge. He is pictured with his mother, Anne Vaz. –CONTRIBUTED

Dancers from the Horgan Academy of Irish Dance in Naugatuck, from left, Kailey Moore, Hannah Searles, and Siobhan Moore, perform a traditional Irish dance during a ceremony to honor Naugatuck’s Irish Mayor of the Day March 17 at the Naugatuck Portuguese Club. –LUKE MARSHALL

Naugatuck Special Olympics competed in the Special Olympics Winter Games Feb. 27 and Feb. 28. Skiers competed at Powder Ridge in Middlefield. Snowshoers, who brought home silver and bronze medals, competed at Eversource in Windsor. –CONTRIBUTED

John and Samantha Strell, of Prospect, arranged a dress down day Jan. 21 at their school, St. Bridget School in Cheshire, to raise funds for 11-year-old Kate Amato, of Jacksonville, Fla. Amato is battling stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive soft tissue cancer. Over $3,000 was raised. –CONTRIBUTED

Runners in a 10K race make their way down Maple Street in Naugatuck March 19 during the sixth annual Ion Bank St. Patrick’s Day Road Race and Festival. Nearly 700 people participated in the event, which also featured a 5K and walk. The event is a fundraiser for the Naugatuck Education Fundraiser, which raises money to support educational programs in Naugatuck schools that are not funded through the annual budget. The event netted about $30,000 for the foundation, said Matt Fortney, immediate past president of the NEF. That included about $14,000 in sponsorships from a number of donors and registration fees. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

Students at Laurel Ledge School in Beacon Falls recently participated in the 2015-16 Jump Rope for Heart event. Together, the students raised a total of $7,884 for the American Heart Association. –CONTRIBUTED

Runners in a 5K race turn the corner from Old Firehouse Road on to Maple Street in Naugatuck March 19 during the sixth annual Ion Bank St. Patrick’s Day Road Race and Festival. Nearly 700 people participated in the event, which also featured a 10K and walk. The event is a fundraiser for the Naugatuck Education Fundraiser, which raises money to support educational programs in Naugatuck schools that are not funded through the annual budget. The event netted about $30,000 for the foundation, said Matt Fortney, immediate past president of the NEF. That included about $14,000 in sponsorships from a number of donors and registration fees. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

Runners in a 10K race make their way down Maple Street in Naugatuck March 19 during the sixth annual Ion Bank St. Patrick’s Day Road Race and Festival. Nearly 700 people participated in the event, which also featured a 5K and walk. The event is a fundraiser for the Naugatuck Education Fundraiser, which raises money to support educational programs in Naugatuck schools that are not funded through the annual budget. The event netted about $30,000 for the foundation, said Matt Fortney, immediate past president of the NEF. That included about $14,000 in sponsorships from a number of donors and registration fees. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

Naugatuck Special Olympics competed in the Special Olympics Winter Games Feb. 27 and Feb. 28. Skiers competed at Powder Ridge in Middlefield. Snowshoers, who brought home silver and bronze medals, competed at Eversource in Windsor. –CONTRIBUTED